A big conundrum has been given to the organisers of the 2023 World Tennis League as Elena Rybakina is reportedly sick and unable to play on Day Three as they have to scramble around to find a solution.
It is the last round-robin matches before tomorrow's final and Rybakina's Falcons team are currently in a position to reach the final narrowly against Aryna Sabalenka's Kites. They sit 1-1 after losing to them yesterday and defeating Iga Swiatek's Hawks.
While the schedule is known team wise for Day Three unlike Day Two, it has been absent as of time of writing in terms of team allocations with only a few hours to go. Rybakina would've been in action first up in the UAE against Eagles headed up by Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Mirra Andreeva and Sofia Kenin. But with this now being an interesting situation, it is unsure what will happen.
Yesterday when Stefanos Tsitsipas couldn't play, Lloyd Harris replaced him. But it is unsure whether the tournament have a similar replacement for a female player like Rybakina hence the conundrum. It is also unsure what the rules are in regards to if they can't play what will happen. The other match sees Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka collide as Hawks meet Kites. The latter have been imperious so far in the UAE.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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